Guilt-Free Taco Pizza

The trending Cauliflower Pizza Crust! Have you heard? It’s all the rage right now! I’ve been wanting to try this gluten free genius of an idea for a good while now. Of course, I’d have to top it with my favorite Tex-Mex toppings. You know me by now, right? I thought I’d continue in the vein of “guilt-free” by using ground turkey instead of ground chuck to keep it on the lighter side. After all, I try to eat clean every once in a while ;).

Let’s begin making the crust by cutting the florets off of a medium sized head of cauliflower. Place them in a food processor and pulse until the cauliflower begins to resemble a powdery texture. Transfer to a bowl; you should have about 3 cups of powdered cauliflower. Steam it for about 3-5 minutes on the stovetop or cover and place in the microwave for 4 minutes until tender. After cooling, take a light kitchen towel and wring the cauliflower with all you’ve got. Take a rest and now wring some more! I got a nice bicep workout. Did you? I squeezed out a little over a cup of liquid. This will help the crust hold together nicely and you won’t have a soggy mess.

Place your dry cauliflower into a bowl and add 1/2 tsp. of garlic powder, 1/2 tsp. of oregano, 1/4 tsp. chili powder, 1/4. tsp. cumin, 1/4 tsp. kosher salt, a pinch of cayenne, 1/2 c. of a white Mexican blend cheese and 1 egg. Mix until combined well. Spray some parchment paper with non stick spray and form into a 10 inch crust, making sure it’s not too thin. Place your crust onto a hot pizza stone (parchment included) and bake in a 450 degree oven for abut 15 minutes until nicely browned and crisp on the edges. Turn oven down to 400 degrees.

Homemade Tortilla Strips – Cut 2 corn tortillas into thin strips and fry in hot vegetable oil for a few minutes until crisp. Remove from the oil and drain over paper towel. Sprinkle with kosher salt, a squeeze of lime and toss to coat.

In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup of tomato paste, 2 T. water, and 1 and 1/2 tsp. of homemade taco seasoning, set aside. In another small bowl, combine 1/2 cup refried black beans and 1 T. salsa, set aside. Brown 1/3 lb. of ground turkey with 1/2 of a small onion until tender. Drain and add 1 and 1/2 tsp. of taco seasoning and mix well to combine.

Spread bean mixture over crust leaving a 1/2 inch border, top with the tomato paste mixture, then add your ground turkey and onion layer. Sprinkle 1 cup of Mexican cheese and bake in the oven for about 10 minutes or until the cheese has completely melted. Remove from the oven and garnish with shredded romaine lettuce, chopped tomato, jalapenos, store bought or homemade tortilla strips and Mexican crema. I added a bit of taco sauce to my crema for flavor. Of course, feel free to top this pie with anything your little heart desires and make the crust your own with any spice you wish. We surely didn’t miss the traditional crust in this tasty guilt-free pizza and I’m happy to say that we’re totally living that guilt-free life! Romans 8:1 and 2 Corinthians 5:17…Say Grace and enjoy!

Spray some parchment paper with non stick spray and form into a 10 inch crust, making sure it's not too thin.

Place your crust onto a hot pizza stone and bake in a 450 degree oven for abut 15 minutes until nicely browned and crisp on the edges. Turn oven down to 400 degrees.

To make the homemade tortilla strips - Cut tortillas into thin strips and fry in hot vegetable oil for a few minutes until crisp. Remove from the oil and drain over paper towel. Sprinkle with kosher salt, a squeeze of lime and toss to coat.

In a small bowl, combine tomato paste, water, 1 and ½ tsp. taco seasoning, set aside.

In another small bowl, combine refried black beans and salsa, set aside.

I’m obsessed with this cauliflower taco crust i’ve been seeing everywhere. Your recipe looks great. I love the seasonings you use. I really need to get off my butt and make this crust one day!! Thanks so much for sharing.